Degrees Without Jobs

Each year, thousands of youth pass out from colleges and universities in Jammu & Kashmir. But far from marking a milestone of hope and opportunity, it turns out to be a moment of uncertainty and despair.

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The harsh reality is that a degree in Kashmir no longer guarantees employment. Instead, a degree without a value in the market only deepens a mental health crisis among the youth.

The problem is multi-layered. One, our education system is still largely traditional with zero focus on skill development. Most graduates finish their formal education without any meaningful exposure to work environments. Internships, apprenticeships. Besides, collaboration with industries remains exception, not norm. Similarly, campus placements are rare, and structured career counselling is practically non-existent. This is why, young people, armed with degrees but no practical experience, are routinely turned away from jobs, being told they are too inexperienced for roles they were never trained for in the first place.